Beautiful In His Eyes
by Rhiannon A. Christy
Summary: He expected to die, to kill, he didn’t expect to fall in love, and with his sister’s step-daughter at that. Toby/OC, spin off sequel to Crystal Swan.
1. Preface

Preface:

* * *

Toby watched as they lowered the casket into the ground, slowly as though they were just waiting for someone to yell _"stop!"_ and proclaim that the man inside was really alive. But no one spoke and the casket reached the bottom with the slightest of sounds. The events that day were all a blur to the man closest to the new grave. His father had died and all he could think on was a thirty year old promise to his brother-in-law.

He felt a slight pressure squeeze his right hand, looking down he saw the dark cream fingers lace with his own pale ones. He knew those fingers, they were the same ones that had countless times ran along his bare chest. Teased his flesh with their plum painted nails. The same fingers that would twine themselves tightly within his hair to pull his mouth to meet the cherry lips of their owner.

He squeezed the hand back before releasing them to take the long walk back to his car. He had been trying since his father's death to leave her, but she had the annoying habit of forgiving him anything. Maybe it was because of how long they had been together, fifteen years was enough time to learn how to put up with someone's moods. Whatever it was it was making things harder on Toby.

In truth he should have broken it off five years ago, he had stopped really loving her in a romantic sense around that time. He had simply grown comfortable with Bella, she was something he knew, could always depend on. She would always be there at night, curled into a ball against his chest. Would always make sure he wanted for nothing. He knew he could live contently with her, at least until he had to return Underground.

It was that that was now bothering him. His mother had died when he was only sixteen from complications giving birth. Now that his father was gone he knew he would have to make good on his promise to Jareth. He would return and fight, and he knew most likely die.

"Toby, wait up!" With a heavy sigh he stopped and waited for his girlfriend to catch up. He would have to end it now, tonight he would be leaving and he wasn't cruel enough to just go without saying goodbye.

"Bella, we need…" Warm lips found his, crashing down desperately before he was able to finish. Bella had been close to his father, she was a kind and loving sort and sense after the supposed death of Sarah and the real one of his mother Robert had let his grief destroy his mind. Bella had moved both Toby and Robert into her apartment and cared for them as her own family. He guessed she believed on day they would be.

Pulling back he placed a soft kiss to her brow before taking a step away. He needed to finish this now so he had time to prepare.

"Do you want to go get a coffee, I know this has been hard on, but I am here…" Toby grabbed her chin hushing her before she finished speaking.

"Bella listen, I know you are here, that you want to be what I need right now. But you are not. I should have done this awhile ago, but I hadn't the heart." Her brows furrowed, she had noticed him pulling away the past couple of weeks. If she was honest with herself she had noticed him drifting for years. She just didn't want to believe it, she loved him completely and only wished to be his wife. To care for him and their family. Sadly she knew for sometime now she would never get that chance.

"So then, just like that you are going to throw away fifteen years? Do you not love me?" Toby felt like an ass, how do you tell the woman you have been seeing for over a decade that you fell out of love years ago?

"I did, once. I still do, just not the way you do. Bella I'm leaving, and I think it is better that you know this now." Tears began anew in Bella's eyes, she had invested so much time into this relationship and he was just throwing it away like so much trash.

"Where are you going? You will be coming back, right?" Maybe, just maybe all he needed was a break. Then when he returned he would realize she was what he really needed.

"I made a promise a long time ago to a friend to return once I was alone. I will be making good on that now, and no I will not be returning…_ever_." He gave a soft smile as he traced the familiar planes of her face, he may not love her like she wanted, but he would miss her.

"Goodbye Bella." With that he kissed her forehead and turned and left. Bella wiped away her tears, she couldn't believe it was over.

* * *

Toby stood before the old vanity mirror he had taken from Sarah's room years ago. It wasn't as large as it had been to a seven year old boy, but he knew this was the only way to return.

He had talked to Hoggle a few days ago, everything was set. His sister and Jareth would be waiting for him and his room within the castle was already prepared.

He dusted off imaginary dust from the jerkin Hoggle had sent him, he was dressed the part and it was time to leave. He touched his fingers to the surface of the mirror, softly whispering the dwarf's name.

* * *

Bella stood outside the door to their…her apartment. After Toby had broken it off with her she had wandered around trying to figure a way to make him see reason. It was while she was thinking that she noticed something about what Toby had said. Or more how he had said it.

He had stressed the "ever" bit rather strongly, this worried her. His words had been filled with determination and finality.

Now standing outside the door she worried about what it meant. She slipped her key in the lock and turned it slowly till she heard the soft click. Nothing looked different, in fact all of Toby's things were still where he had left them that morning.

She searched through room after room, still nothing looked missing…except for Toby. Finally as she made it to their room she noticed a slip of paper folded and placed on her side of the bed.

As she read the note her worst fears were confirmed. Toby really wasn't coming back…_ever_.

* * *

Author's Note: Ok this has been going through my head for awhile, and I have decided to go ahead and write it. This story focuses mainly on Toby and his relationship with Jareth's daughter, though there will be some interaction with Jareth and Sarah.

I know I have already many stories I am working on, but I find it is easier for me when I have more than one I can write. When one is giving me a hard time I can work on another one.

_**Also, once I am done "This is My Winter" I plan on writing another Labby, in fact I have I don't know how many lined up. On my Author's Page there is a poll. Click the links to find a journal entery to a preview of the story. I have four up and I have everything ready to write each of them. I thought I would allow the readers to choose which one they would like to read next. I will write the one with the highest votes next. The poll will be open until I finish "This is My Winter" **_

Disclaimer: Nope don't own it!


	2. A Promise Fulfilled

A Promise Kept;

* * *

Toby blinked a couple of times as he looked about him. The last time he had been Underground he had only been a child, but even with it being that long he could tell things had changed.

The castle had at the time been filled with goblins and chickens, and even with everything that had been going on it had retained an almost happy atmosphere. Now though the place reflected one thing; war.

All along the walls hung maps with lines and circles drawn in red, tables littered the room covered in various swords and armor. It reminded Toby of the training room Bric had once shown him.

"It's a sad sight isn't it?" A soft voice drifted from the doorway beside him. He knew that voice, though briefly the time he had spent with her.

"Sad? I would have thought it would be something to celebrate. After all each one of these represents another province we have gained, does it not?" Leda smiled sadly as she moved to stand beside the younger man.

"Yes, but people still die. Life, even if lived horridly, is still life and should never be celebrated when gone. We might be righting a wrong and bringing Uland back to her glory, but it has been achieved in blood." Not looking at the woman beside him he reached out to pick up one of the many swords and turned it over in his hands.

"As it has always been and always will be. Blood is the currency in which this world and the one Above has been bought and sold. It will never change." A sigh escaped her throat, she had never liked to think on it, but he was right. It always ended in blood.

"So where are my sister and her beloved King? Hoggle told me that they were to greet me when I arrived." He had not seen his sister in at least ten years. When he had first retrieved the old mirror they would talk as often as they could, sadly as the war picked up and his sister was away more they had had a harder time finding the opportunities to speak.

"The Sisters had been able to gather a rather large following in Glyndwr and were successful in pushing back our lines. Jareth and Sarah left yesterday with reinforcements. Glyndwr is rather an important province, it being the main source of fresh water with the many underground springs.

"They had hoped to be here when you arrived, but it is important we gain hold of Glyndwr. They asked me to get you settled in while they are away." Toby just nodded, it was something he really should have expected. The war was beginning to pick up as numbers on both sides began to increase.

"Understandable. Now, I don't mean to sound rude or anything, but I have just come from my father's funeral…." Since his father's death Toby had been too busy to really mourn him, but now that all was said and done he was beginning to feel weary.

"Of course, I am sorry dear. Lets get you to your room, you must be exhausted."

* * *

Caron sat quietly in her father's library, her hands working quickly at moving her needle in and out of the square of silk in her lap. Her father always loved her needle work, when she had been only fifteen she had created him a shirt of spider silk and lace. To this day he still claims it to be his favorite. Her fingers shook as she made the next stitch, Toby, her mother's brother was to be arriving soon. She had not seen him since she had grown, only heard stories from her parents.

She knew she owed a great deal to him, without his help her father and mother would be dead and she would have been raised as one of the Sisters. She could not think of a worse fate.

She would admit that she was nervous in meeting him, Toby was somewhat of a legend in the Labyrinth now. There was not one goblin or child who did not know the story of the boy who saved the kingdom.

What would he be like? Strong and opinionated like her Mother, or maybe graceful and sly like her father.

"You concentrate much harder on that silk and you will burn a hole through it." Leda smiled softly as she entered her nephew's library. Her great-niece looked so much like her birth-mother, but she was more like Sarah than that traitorous whore.

"Aunt Leda, I hadn't expected to see you until dinner." Caron set aside her stitching knowing that she would only end up mucking up the design with how nervous she was.

"It seems that I have time on my hands, Toby has already arrived but has gone to rest. I do believe that we will not see him until tomorrow. The poor dear looked so haggard." Stilling her shaking hands, Caron stood to put away her sewing.

"Uncle Toby has just lost his father. I am not sure I would have the strength to simply leave to fight a war only days after Father's death. Then again I am not sure I have much strength at all." Her voice was quiet as she spoke the last bit. Her parents had refused to allow her to join the fight. When she had been younger she had begged them to allow her to train with Bric, but they had denied her.

She knew it was not because she was a girl, her mother fought alongside her father along with many female warriors. Her father had told her many times that he didn't think she was weak, but she figured he was lying. It was because of who her birth-mother was.

She had heard many stories of the woman, a deceitful wretch who tried to kill her husband and use her unborn child as a bargaining chip for the Goblin Throne. She believed that Cat was the real reason her father wouldn't let her fight, he thought she was just as weak as her. She feared that he may even believe her capable of her birth-mother's treachery.

"I doubt it was strength at all that has brought him here. Toby, even as a child, had been incredibly loyal to your parents. He made a promise the day he left that he would be back as soon as he had no more to tie him to the world Above.

"He has simply fulfilled that promise. Plus…plus I believe this has more to do with cowardice." Caron turned swiftly to look at her great-aunt, her brows furrowed. Uncle Toby, the great Toby a coward? What a thing to say!

"Cowardice?! Uncle Toby fought against the Sisters at eight years of age! How could you…." Leda held up her hand, the girl could be quiet naive at times. She had so much to learn, and she hoped it would not be the hard way.

"He had the Labyrinth's help then. This is much different, he had not faced an army out to kill him. He lost his father. Boys always see their fathers in an almost godlike way, they never expect them to die.

"He has just come up against the evidence of his own mortality, and it frightens him. I am not saying that he is not strong, child. Just that he needs time." Time, what time? Caron knew that as soon as Bric returned Toby's training would begin, and from there off to war. Would Toby have the time to regain his strength before he got himself killed?

* * *

The wall was cool where Toby rested his forehead, but it felt good. He had been so busy these past couple of weeks, trying to get everything in order when all he wanted to do was curl up in bed and forget.

Forget his father was dead, his mother was dead. Forget he had once visited a fantasy world where his sister now lived. Just forget. How nice that would have been, but he had made a promise to Jareth.

He stepped back from the wall to look over his new room. Walls of tawny stone were covered in rich velvet tapestries, furniture of buttery woods filled the room and gave it a comforting glow. The feeling almost reminding him of his mother's arms, always so warm and open to hold him after a nightmare. Only now his mother wouldn't be there when he woke, even if he could wake from this one.

Sarah and Jareth were all he had left, but what did it really matter? He loved his sister, would die for her. But they had been living in two different worlds for thirty years, they didn't need him. Not like that anyway.

Sinking down upon the down comforter covered bed he thought of Bella. She was a wonderful woman, and would make a lovely wife one day. She would love and care for her husband, be the perfect mother. A man would have to have been insane to let her go. But there he was, insane? Maybe.

He really had loved her once, but as the years moved on he realized she was not what he needed. She didn't need him. He felt a pang of guilt at what Bella was going through at the moment. She most likely thought he was lying somewhere dead. He really didn't think it would be a lie that much longer.

He had been a child when he had fought the Sisters, and it really hadn't been him. He had only been a vessel of flesh for the Labyrinth. What good would he be now? He had no training, no real idea of what war was. He would most likely die before long. But what could he do? He had made a promise, and he would fulfill it to the full.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Ok I know it has been awhile since I have updated, not that I meant it to be. Anyway, my baby sister got married this summer, two weddings in fact. The first being a small ceremony out at the park "For my Da's side of the family" where they signed the papers and another just a few days ago, a handfasting. Now in helping and getting things done for these I lost my net and then didn't even have enough time to write and get to the library to post. Now though it is all over and I have time to actually write now and will be posting from the library, so if I do not respond or updating is still kinda slow, that is the reason.

On another note, anyone who has been to my author's page or read the notes on the updates of the past year know that I have a poll up with previews of four labbys. After I have finished with "This Is My Winter" I will be posting one of these four, the one with the most votes I will post first, so please if you haven't voted please do, I will leave the voting up until I post the last chapter of "This Is My Winter"

**Disclaimer: **Nope don't own it! So don't ask!


	3. Family

Family;

* * *

"Come on boy, wake up." Leda's soft voice drifted through the room. It had been two days since Toby returned Underground, and in those two days he had refused to even get out of bed. He was tired and still grieving for his father.

He wondered what his parents would have thought of the Labyrinth. They had never really understood Sarah, or liked her obsession with fantasy. Even after his mother and sister began to get along. He figured neither of them would find the place as wondrous and beautiful as he did.

Toby lifted his head slightly from under the covers. His eyes were overly dry and gritty like sand had been poured into them. His mouth tasted foul, kind of like rotted meat. And to top it off his head felt heavy and muffled, like he had stuffed it with cotton. It was worse than a hangover.

"I'm tired Leda, so unless my sister and brother have returned I really would prefer to continue sleeping." The fae queen scowled and huffed disapprovingly. Not that he cared, he was almost forty and had long ago outgrown the need for someone's approval.

"They are still detained, but Bric has returned in order to begin your training.

"I know that it has been hard on you, but you can not allow your grief to overtake you. Now get up, take a bath, and go and greet your nieces and nephews. You have been very rude. They are very eager to meet you." With that Leda left, believing that he would listen to her.

Though of course he would. He stared up at the canopy of his bed. He had forgotten about Sarah's children. How he wasn't sure. Ever since he had retrieved the mirror so he could speak to her again, she had spent much of that time complaining about how many times her husband had gotten her knocked up. She felt as though she spent more time pregnant than actually at war.

They had six children, if you counted Caron. Though he was sure that both Caron and Saoirse would balk at being called such. Both were younger than him, but not by much.

With a heavy sigh he stood from his bed. If he wasn't up and clean soon he knew that Leda would return and possibly force him into a bath herself.

* * *

"But I don't want to wear that one, I want to wear my green one!" Little Rhonwen stomped her foot against the floor as hard as she could. Her bare foot connecting with the stone with a sharp slap. She winced, but refused to cry out and bring attention to the fact that her action hurt her.

"Your green one is covered in mud and has a large hole in the skirt. If you hadn't decided to go and play out in the garden in it yesterday you could have worn it. So it is either this pink one or the yellow one that Aunt Leda bought you last month." Saoirse huffed in annoyance. She loved her sister with all her heart, but sometimes she just wished she could take her swimming in the bog.

Rhonwen made a face, her nose wrinkling up in disgust.

"I hate the yellow one, I look like a big bee in that one." Thinking that she had won, Saoirse began to untie the ribbons on her sister's nightgown.

"But I hate pink too!" Laughter rang out from the doorway where her two brothers stood. She just ignored them.

"You don't hate pink, in fact just two weeks ago you said it was your favorite color. You even had Father magic your entire room pink." Rhonwen crossed her arms over her chest and stuck her bottom lip out.

"Yeah, but that was like forever ago! I hate pink now, green is my favorite. Paul! Tell her I want to wear my green one!" Paul laughed a little harder as he entered the room.

"Yeah, Saoirse be a good sport. She wants to wear the green one." Oh, she hated her brother. Chuckling, Paul produced a crystal much like their father's, and tossed it at the pink dress. Rhonwen jumped in excitement as the dress changed into a replica of the aforementioned green dress.

"Paul! That is not helping, she needs to learn that sometimes she can't get her way." Brann made a _'pff'_ noise from where he still stood at the door.

"She is the daughter of the Goblin King and Queen, she, just as the rest of us, most likely will get most of what we want. Why make such a big deal out of a dress? I mean look, she is happy now." What was with her siblings? Ok, so yes they rarely ever were denied anything. Really the only thing any of them were refused was to be allowed to fight in the war. Though that didn't mean that they should allow their sister to grow up acting like a spoiled brat.

"That is not the point." Brann just shrugged. Out off all the children he was the most laid back. He was only fifteen years old, but unlike Paul, or even herself and Caron, he never had a desire to take part in the war.

He had been learning politics since he was twelve. He knew that one day he would be given a throne to one of the provinces and he planned to be a great ruler.

"Maybe not, but at the moment we really don't have time to argue. Aunt Leda sent us to inform you that she wants us all dressed and in the family dining room within the next half hour.

"Bric has returned and she has been able to rouse Uncle Toby. She wants us to have a proper family breakfast. Not that it really can be proper with Mother and Father gone." Paul growled softly at his brother's words.

"I don't like them being gone any more than you do, but you know why they can't always be here. I don't want to hear anything more like that coming out of your mouth. Do you know how much that would hurt Mother if she ever heard you? It would break her." Brann looked down at his shoes. It wasn't that he resented his parents, more that he resented the war. He hated the fact that they were almost never home. He knew he most likely would be completely grown with his own family by time the war was over and they were ready to be a real family.

"Ok, now that we are done with that, could you two go and wake Eirnan? Get Caron to dress her if either of you have a problem with it. It might still be awhile with this little hell cat." Rhonwen stomped her foot again. She hated it when her sister called her that.

* * *

Caron sat quietly, her hands placed neatly in her lap as she looked towards the doors to the dining room. It had been two days since Uncle Toby had returned and he had yet to come out and meet them.

She was excited and yet nervous to finally see him. She knew from her mother that he was a wonderful and kind person, but she feared that he wouldn't like her.

Saoirse reached across their laps and placed her hand atop her own. Her sister, though outwardly more composed, was just as nervous as she was. Though Caron knew that it was due more to the towering elf that would be arriving in the room any minute, than her uncle.

Her younger sister had been in love with Bric for the past ten years. Ever since he had saved her when a group of Sisters had tried to capture her when she had been on her way to Sol. The problem was that Bric was not only oblivious, he was also still mourning the loss of his dead love, Lady Jean.

She had caught her sister many times hidden behind a wall watching as Sir Bric spoke to the dead woman's grave. She had tried to convince her to leave the poor man alone, but Saorirse, like many other women hopelessly in love, believed she could be the one to help him. To heal his heart.

Bric entered and with a sad smile sat down past Rhonwen. Saoirse smiled back sweetly, though her own had a hint of sadness to it.

"It is good to see you again, Bric. How have you been?" The elf took a steadying breath, something he seemed to do more and more often, before he spoke.

"It is good to see you as well Princess, all of you actually. As for how I have been, as well as can be expected. Your parents have made great progress, it looks as though they may return in a month.

"And I trust that all has been well here since I have been away? Her Majesty has just told me that young Master Toby has finally returned, he is well?" Brann once again made a noise as he rolled his eyes.

"Oh yes all has been well, boring actually, but well. Though Uncle Toby has been here for two days we have yet to see him. He hasn't left his rooms since he got here." Leave it to Brann to just lay it out there.

"Yes, well I am terribly sorry for that. I was more tired than I thought.

"Hello Bric, hello all." Caron held her breath as she looked at the man standing in the doorway. She had seen pictures of him when he was still a boy, but they hardly looked like the same person.

Toby stood tall, not even a full foot shorter than Bric. His hair, while still the white blond of his youth had been cut shorter, exposing his sky blue eyes to the world. He looked older than any of them in the room, small wrinkles lined his eyes and mouth. A deep crease between his brows evidence of his years of worry and stress. But even with all those signs of age, Caron thought he was magnificent.

"Toby! Come here my boy, it has been too long." Bric practically leapt from the table in order to get to Toby. The two embraced in a friendly hug.

"Way too long. I know my sister would have preferred if I had never left in the first place, an opinion she has informed me of every time we speak in fact. But what about you? Sarah often speaks of you, since that day I have felt guil.." Bric huffed loudly and clasped his hand on Toby's shoulder, quickly shutting him up.

"Don't you even dare. I may have not had much time with Jean, but I do know one thing. She would not want you to feel guilty about what happened. She saved you, knowing how important you were. Not just to her Queen, but to her best friend.

"To feel anything but grateful about what she did would diminish her sacrifice. Now, enough talk of the past. You have family to meet." Toby nodded and allowed Bric to lead him the rest of the way to the table.

His eyes slid over each of his sister's six children. He could recognize Saoirse, she was almost a copy of Sarah. Even down to the sweet smile on her face. Paul was easy as he was the only one missing two fingers. Sarah had been hysterical when she had explained to him how that had happened.

That left the other boy to be Brann, and the two young girls to be Eirnan and Rhonwen. His gaze landed on the young woman to Saoirse's right.

Her golden hair toppled down over her shoulders, soft waves that looked like the finest silk. Her eyes were a bright blue, and seemed so sad. The last time he had seen her she had still been a newborn, but he knew immediately who she was. Caron.

Before he could speak the doors behind him once again opened, admitting both Leda and James. The latter of which, though older, still looked to be somewhere in his late twenties. Toby sighed, he just hopped he would be able to get through the meal. He was so tired.

* * *

"It really is great to see you again. I'm sorry that the circumstances had to be what they are though." Bric leaned back against the wall of the training hall, sword already in hand.

"And about what I had said this morning…" Toby just lifted a hand. He was already stressed out as it was. Breakfast had been everything he had feared it would be. Everyone gave at least one condolence for his loss, Paul asked constantly about his part in the battle against Gathin. The two youngest girls spent the morning watching him in fascination while Saoirse tried to be as polite as possible. The only one who pretty much left him alone had been Caron.

"I understand. I can see where you are coming from, believe me. But I can't help the way I feel. Us mortals have a term for it, Survivor's Guilt.

"Anyway, I am sure you have not dragged me all the way here to talk about breakfast." Bric shook his head, it was still strange to see how grown up the boy…man had become.

"No, really I just thought you might like a break from the others. I am so used to them I sometimes forget how they actually are.

"Paul is a good boy, much like his father. It is just he is so wrapped up in this war. Even now after the incident that caused him to loose his fingers, he still insists on joining his parents." Bric could still remember that night, Paul had a good heart, but he would never make a warrior.

"Thank you. I know they just want to get to know me, but sometimes I fear that my sister may have idolized me in her stories. I worry what they will do once they realize I am nothing more than an aging mortal." Sadly he knew this was inevitable.

"You are beginning to look old, I'll give you that." James smirked as he entered. The man had changed so much since Toby had last seen him. Though he still looked young, if one looked hard enough they could see the lines around his eyes. Evidence of his years at war. But more noticeable were the lines around his lips, proof of his happiness.

"And you look like you haven't aged a day." James laughed and seated himself against the wall.

"Fae magic. I'm bound to Leda, did you know? I will not live as long as her of course, or even Sarah. But she knew of some ancient magic that would extend my youth." Though he couldn't do magic himself, he was no longer considered a human.

"At least I will live long enough to see my great-great-great grandchildren get married." Bric raised an eyebrow at that.

"You have yet to have any children, so you better get to working on that." James just rolled his eyes before lifting his chin in a very proud manner.

"Actually we already have that covered. Leda is pregnant, four months along. And I will tell you I think fae women are worse than mortals when it comes to mood swings. I never remember my mother acting like this with any of my younger brothers." This earned him a quiet laugh. Leda was normally a very composed woman, but when she did get angry the Fates themselves would go running for cover. Bric could only imagine and shiver at the thought of what she would be like now that she was pregnant.

"Good luck with that." Toby smiled sadly as he caught sight of a portrait hanging on the opposite wall. There in all her glory was Lady Jean, decked out in full armor. Mounted just below the painting was the sword Toby remembered her wielding the day she died.

"She would have loved this room." Bric walked next to the painting, his fingers tracing its frame.

"She had enjoyed the one in Sol so much, I had asked Jareth to allow a replica of the room in her honor. The day it was finished he unveiled that portrait. It is beautiful, but still lacks the fire she had in life." Toby reached up to place his hand on the knight's shoulder. His sister had told him how hard the elf still took Jean's death.

Deciding it best to change the subject he asked the question that had been plaguing him since that morning.

"Can I ask, why Saoirse had been placed at the head of the table instead of Caron?" James looked a little uncomfortable before he spoke.

"Saoirse is the heir to the Goblin throne, and so she is given the place of honor." Toby furrowed his brows. He knew that the Council would not allow Caron to take the throne, but he still would have thought within the family she would have been given the place as eldest child.

"The Council as of yet recognizes Caron as an heir of any sort. It would be improper for her to sit at the head of the table. But as she is still the oldest child of Jareth's she still has a place of honor.

"She had refused at first when Jareth and Sarah placed her to Saoirse's right. To her that was Paul's place. She finally agreed after both Saoirse and Paul threatened to sit on the floor until she took her rightful place." At least the family seemed to recognize the girl.

"You make her seem so…" James just nodded.

"Weak-willed? I really don't think that is it. We have all tried to figure out why she acts the way she does. She is smart and actually very powerful, but she refuses to act like it." Bric huffed loudly and carefully removed Toby's hand from his shoulder.

"She is afraid. Jareth and Sarah tried to raise her to be strong, ready to take on one of Uland's thrones. Sadly she has never been naive to who her birth mother was.

"Her parents are oblivious to it, but she thinks she will one day become like her and that is why Jareth refuses to allow her to fight. Or why the Council will not recognize her." How could that sweet girl think that?

"How do you know any of this?" James looked baffled, apparently this thought had never occurred to him.

"Saoirse is the only one she has ever confided to. After she spoke to her, she became worried for her sister and came to me. She had hoped that I would help train her, at least to prove to Caron how strong she is.

"The only thing is, Caron though powerful in magic, is actually very delicate. Both emotionally and physically." Toby ran his hand through his hair. How could such a beautiful creature believe such things about herself?

* * *

Author's Notes: Ok, have no excuse for not writing actually. Anyway I did actually get a chapter out, so I hope everyone enjoys. Also some of this you might be able to understand more if you also read the oneshot, Anything and Everything.

Oh, and these stories just seem to not want to leave me alone. In a few days I will be posting another oneshot sequel, this time it will be about Bric and how he died. It will also have a few things from this story, such as Saoirse being in love with him.

Also a quick run down on the ages of Jareth and Sarah's children:

**Saoirse: 28 years old**

**Paul: 18 years old**

**Brann : 15 years old**

**Eirnan: 10 years old**

**Rhonwen: 7 years old**

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**Disclaimer: Nope don't own it...damn!**


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